Cartridge-Based Heat Not Burn Vaporizer

ABSTRACT

A vaporizer cartridge configured to efficiently and effectively heat a non-liquid source material that includes a vaporizable material is described. The cartridge may include a heating element including an electrically resistive material and may be configured to vaporize the vaporizable material by delivery of heat to the vaporizable material. The cartridge may include a cartridge contact in electrical communication with the electrically resistive material. The cartridge contact may be configured to couple to a vaporizer contact positioned proximate to a cartridge coupling feature to allow electrical power to pass from the vaporizer device through the electrically resistive material. The electrical power may cause heating of the electrically resistive material and the vaporizable material to result in generation of an aerosol for inhalation by a user. Related systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are also described.

CROSS REFERENCE

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 62/712,919 entitled “Cartridge-Based Heat Not BurnVaporizer” filed Jul. 31, 2018, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The subject matter described herein relates to vaporizer devices,including a system for heating vaporizable material to generate aninhalable aerosol.

BACKGROUND

Vaporizing devices, including electronic vaporizers or e-vaporizerdevices, allow the delivery of vapor containing one or more activeingredients to a user by inhalation of the vapor. Electronic vaporizerdevices are gaining increasing popularity both for prescriptive medicaluse, in delivering medicaments, and for consumption of tobacco and otherplant-based smokeable materials, such as cannabis, including solid(e.g., loose-leaf) materials, solid/liquid (e.g., suspensions,liquid-coated) materials, wax extracts, and prefilled pods (cartridges,wrapped containers, etc.) of such materials. Electronic vaporizerdevices in particular may be portable, self-contained, and convenientfor use.

In some embodiments, vaporizer cartridges configured to heat vaporizablematerial (e.g., plant material such as tobacco leaves and/or parts oftobacco leaves) require higher temperatures for the inner tobaccoregions to reach the minimum required temperature for vaporization. As aresult, burning the vaporizable material at these high peak temperaturescan produce toxic bi-products (e.g., chemical elements or chemicalcompounds).

SUMMARY

Aspects of the current subject matter relate to a cartridge for avaporizer device. In some embodiments, the cartridge may include achamber configured to contain a non-liquid vaporizable material. Thecartridge may include a heating element. The heating element may includean electrically resistive material and may be configured to vaporize thevaporizable material by delivery of heat to the vaporizable material,wherein at least a portion of the heating element may define a part ofthe chamber and/or may be contained within the chamber.

The cartridge may include a cartridge contact in electricalcommunication with the electrically resistive material. The cartridgecontact may be configured to couple to a vaporizer contact positionedproximate to a cartridge coupling feature to allow electrical power topass from the vaporizer device through the electrically resistivematerial. The electrical power may cause heating of the electricallyresistive material and the vaporizable material to result in generationof an aerosol for inhalation by a user.

In some variations, one or more of the following features can optionallybe included in any feasible combination. The heating element may includethe cartridge contact. The cartridge may include a sheet of thermallyconductive, electrically resistive material. The sheet of thermallyconductive, electrically resistive material may include at least one ofa flexible material, a deformable material, and a rigid material. Thesheet of thermally conductive, electrically resistive material mayinclude at least one perforation. The sheet of thermally conductive,electrically resistive material may include at least one extensionextending away from at least one of a top surface of the sheet ofthermally conductive, electrically resistive material and a bottomsurface of the sheet of thermally conductive, electrically resistivematerial.

The sheet of thermally conductive, electrically resistive material mayinclude a first area having a first density of perforations and a secondarea having a second density of perforations that is greater than afirst density of perforations.

The heating element may include a non-electrically conductive area. Theheating element may include a flexible printed circuit including theelectrically resistive material traced on a flexible material, andwherein the traced electrically resistive material may form a pluralityof series heaters. The plurality of series heaters may be positioned inparallel. The heating element may include a flexible material with theelectrically resistive material extending along a length of the flexiblematerial.

The cartridge may include a housing. The housing may include anon-electrically conductive material and may contain at least a part ofthe chamber. The vaporizable material may include nicotine.

In some embodiments, a system for a generating an inhalable aerosol mayinclude the cartridge. The cartridge may include a chamber configured tocontain a non-liquid vaporizable material. The cartridge may include aheating element. The heating element may include an electricallyresistive material and may be configured to vaporize the vaporizablematerial by delivery of heat to the vaporizable material, wherein atleast a portion of the heating element defines a part of the chamberand/or may be contained within the chamber. The cartridge may include acartridge contact in electrical communication with the electricallyresistive material. The cartridge contact may be configured to couple toa vaporizer contact positioned proximate to a cartridge coupling featureto allow electrical power to pass from the vaporizer device through theelectrically resistive material. The electrical power may cause heatingof the electrically resistive material and the vaporizable material toresult in generation of an aerosol for inhalation by a user

The system may include a device body. The device body may include acartridge receptacle for receiving the cartridge. The device body mayinclude a vaporizer contact configured to mate with the cartridgecontact when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle toprovide an electrically conductive pathway between a power source in thedevice body and the heating element of the cartridge.

In some embodiments, a method for generating an inhalable aerosol mayinclude coupling a cartridge contact of a vaporizer cartridge to avaporizer contact of a vaporizer device body to provide an electricallyconductive pathway between a power source of the vaporizer device bodyand a heating element of the vaporizer cartridge. The electricallyconductive pathway may allow the power source to cause heating of anelectrically resistive material of the heating element and thevaporizable material contained in a chamber of the cartridge.

The method may include heating the heating element to vaporize thevaporizable material and form an aerosol for inhalation, wherein theheating element defines at least a part of the chamber and/or iscontained within the chamber of the vaporizer cartridge.

The details of one or more variations of the subject matter describedherein are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the descriptionbelow. Other features and advantages of the subject matter describedherein will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from theclaims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification, show certain aspects of the subject matterdisclosed herein and, together with the description, help explain someof the principles associated with the disclosed implementations. In thedrawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a vaporizer consistent withimplementations of the current subject matter;

FIG. 2A illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a vaporizercartridge including an embodiment of a heating element having a flexiblesheet with narrow conductive traces extending therealong;

FIG. 2B illustrates an end view of the vaporizer cartridge of FIG. 2Ashowing the flexible sheets of the heating element wrapped aroundnon-liquid vaporizable material;

FIG. 2C illustrates a top view of an embodiment of the heating elementof FIG. 2A showing a plurality of narrow conductive traces forming sixseries heaters in parallel, and with each series heater portion in ahorizontal orientation;

FIG. 2D illustrates a top view of an embodiment of the heating elementof FIG. 2A showing a plurality of narrow conductive traces forming sixseries heaters in parallel, and with each series heater portion in avertical orientation;

FIG. 3A illustrates a top perspective view of another embodiment of thevaporizer cartridge including another embodiment of the heating elementincluding a perforated conductive material having differentialresistance areas;

FIG. 3B illustrates a top view of the heating element of FIG. 3Aincluding an electrically resistive area having a plurality ofperforations;

FIG. 4A illustrates a top perspective view of another embodiment of avaporizer cartridge including another embodiment of a heating element incontact with non-liquid vaporizable material.

FIG. 4B illustrates a top view of the heating element of the vaporizercartridge of FIG. 4A;

FIG. 4C illustrates a side view of the heating element of FIG. 4B with asheet of non-liquid vaporizable material coupled to top and bottom sidesof the heating element;

FIG. 4D illustrates a top view of another embodiment of the heatingelement of FIG. 4B including a slit extending along a length of theheating element and intersecting an end of the heating element;

FIG. 4E illustrates a perspective view of the heating element of FIG. 4Dshowing the heating element folded long at least the slit;

FIG. 4F illustrates a perspective view of another embodiment of theheating element of FIG. 4B including at least one extension extendingfrom a top side and/or a bottom side of the sheet of the heatingelement;

FIG. 4G illustrates a top view of the heating element of FIG. 4F;

FIG. 4H illustrates an embodiment of a vaporizer cartridge housing forsecuring the heating element of FIG. 4F and non-liquid vaporizablematerial therewithin;

FIG. 5A illustrates a top perspective view of another embodiment of avaporizer cartridge including another embodiment of a heating elementincluding an induction coil and ferrous material;

FIG. 5B illustrates an end view of the vaporizer cartridge of FIG. 5Ashowing the ferrous material interspersed in non-liquid vaporizablematerial;

FIG. 6 illustrates a side cross-section view of another embodiment of avaporizer cartridge including another embodiment of a heating elementhaving an electrically resistive foam structure;

FIG. 7 illustrates another embodiment of a vaporizer cartridge includinganother embodiment of a heating element having electrically conductiveplates separated by an insulating material and an at least partiallyelectrically conductive mixture;

FIG. 8A illustrates a perspective view of another embodiment of avaporizer cartridge; and

FIG. 8B illustrates a cross-sectional schematic view of the vaporizercartridge of FIG. 8A.

When practical, similar reference numbers denote similar structures,features, or elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Implementations of the current subject matter include devices relatingto vaporizing one or more materials for inhalation by a user. Forexample, various embodiments of vaporizer cartridges, such as single-usedisposable cartridges, having a variety of heater element embodimentsare described herein. Such vaporizer cartridges can be configured foruse with non-liquid vaporizable material, such as loose-leaf tobacco.The various heater element embodiments described herein can improve theefficiency and quality of heating of the vaporizable material, such asheating the vaporizable material within an optimal heating range. Suchoptimal heating range includes a temperature that is hot enough tovaporize the vaporizable material into an aerosol for inhalation, whilealso heating below a temperature that produces harmful or potentiallyharmful byproducts.

In some embodiments, the heating elements described herein can achievethe optimal heating range at a rate that allows a user to have anenjoyable user experience (e.g., not have to wait a long time for theheating element to reach a temperature in the optimal heating range,etc.). In some embodiments, the vaporizer cartridges including suchheating elements can be cost effectively manufactured, thereby makingthem economically feasible as single-use disposable cartridges. Variousvaporizer cartridges and heating elements including one or more of theabove features are described in greater detail below.

As noted above, vaporizable material used with a vaporizer mayoptionally be provided within a cartridge (e.g., a part of the vaporizerthat contains the vaporizable material or a source substance thatincludes the vaporizable material in a reservoir or other container andthat can be refillable when empty or disposable in favor of a newcartridge containing additional vaporizable material of a same ordifferent type). A vaporizer may be a cartridge-using vaporizer, acartridge-less vaporizer, or a multi-use vaporizer capable of use withor without a cartridge. For example, a multi-use vaporizer may include aheating chamber (e.g., an oven) configured to receive a source substancecontaining a vaporizable material directly in the heating chamber andalso to receive a vaporizer cartridge 120 or other replaceable devicehaving a reservoir, a volume, or the like for at least partiallycontaining a usable amount of a source substance containing or includingthe vaporizable material.

In various implementations, a vaporizer may be configured for use with asolid vaporizable material, which may include a plant material thatemits some part of the plant material as the vaporizable material (e.g.,such that some part of the plant material remains as waste after thevaporizable material is emitted for inhalation by a user) or optionallycan be a solid form of the vaporizable material itself (e.g., a “wax”)such that all of the solid material can eventually be vaporized forinhalation.

Referring to the block diagram of FIG. 1 , a vaporizer 100 typicallyincludes a power source 112 (such as a battery which may be arechargeable battery), and a controller 104 (e.g., a processor,circuitry, etc. capable of executing logic) for controlling delivery ofheat to a heating element to cause a vaporizable material to beconverted from a condensed form (e.g., a solid, a liquid, a solution, asuspension, a part of an at least partially unprocessed plant material,etc.) to the gas phase. The controller 104 may be part of one or moreprinted circuit boards (PCBs) consistent with certain implementations ofthe current subject matter. In the current subject matter, whichgenerally relates to devices for producing an inhalable aerosol throughheating of a source substance without burning it, the condensed form istypically a plant-based material, at least part of which is avaporizable material capable of being converted to vapor under heatingof the plant-based material.

After conversion of the vaporizable material to the gas phase, anddepending on the type of vaporizer, the physical and chemical propertiesof the vaporizable material, and/or other factors, at least some of thegas-phase vaporizable material may condense to form particulate matterin at least a partial local equilibrium with the gas phase as part of anaerosol, which can form some or all of an inhalable dose provided by thevaporizer 100 for a given puff or draw on the vaporizer. It will beunderstood that the interplay between gas and condensed phases in anaerosol generated by a vaporizer can be complex and dynamic, as factorssuch as ambient temperature, relative humidity, chemistry, flowconditions in airflow paths (both inside the vaporizer and in theairways of a human or other animal), mixing of the gas-phase oraerosol-phase vaporizable material with other air streams, etc. mayaffect one or more physical parameters of an aerosol. In somevaporizers, and particularly for vaporizers for delivery of morevolatile vaporizable materials, the inhalable dose may existpredominantly in the gas phase (i.e., formation of condensed phaseparticles may be very limited).

As noted above, vaporizers consistent with implementations of thecurrent subject matter may also or alternatively be configured to createan inhalable dose of gas-phase and/or aerosol-phase vaporizable materialvia heating of a non-liquid source substance containing or including avaporizable material, such as for example a solid-phase vaporizablematerial or plant material (e.g., tobacco leaves and/or parts of tobaccoleaves) containing the vaporizable material. In such vaporizers, aheating element may be part of or otherwise incorporated into or inthermal contact with the walls of an oven or other heating chamber intowhich the non-liquid source substance that contains or includes avaporizable material is placed. Alternatively, a heating element orelements may be used to heat air passing through or past the non-liquidsource substance to cause convective heating of the non-liquidvaporizable material. In still other examples, a heating element orelements may be disposed in intimate contact with plant material suchthat direct thermal conduction heating of the source substance occursfrom within a mass of the source substance (e.g., as opposed to only byconduction inward from walls of an oven). Such non-liquid vaporizablematerials may be used with cartridge using or cartridge less vaporizers.

The heating element can be or include one or more of a conductiveheater, a radiative heater, and a convective heater. One type of heatingelement is a resistive heating element, which can be constructed of orat least include a material (e.g., a metal or alloy, for example anickel-chromium alloy, or a non-metallic resistor) configured todissipate electrical power in the form of heat when electrical currentis passed through one or more resistive segments of the heating element.In some implementations of the current subject matter, an atomizer caninclude a heating element that includes resistive coil or other heatingelement wrapped around, positioned within, integrated into a bulk shapeof, pressed into thermal contact with, or otherwise arranged to deliverheat to a mass of a source substance (e.g., plant based-substance suchas tobacco) that contains the vaporizable material. Throughout thecurrent disclosure, “source substance” generally refers to the part of aplant-based material (or other condensed form of a plant material orother material that may release vaporizable material without beingburned) that contains vaporizable materials that are converted to vaporand/or aerosol for inhalation. Other heating element, and/or atomizerassembly configurations are also possible, as discussed further below.

The heating element may be activated (e.g., a controller, which isoptionally part of a vaporizer body as discussed below, may causecurrent to pass from the power source through a circuit including theresistive heating element, which is optionally part of a vaporizercartridge as discussed below), in association with a user puffing (e.g.,drawing, inhaling, etc.) on a mouthpiece of the vaporizer to cause airto flow from an air inlet, along an airflow path that passes the heatingelement and an associated mass of the source substance, optionallythrough one or more condensation areas or chambers, to an air outlet inthe mouthpiece. Incoming air passing along the airflow path passes over,through, etc. the heating element and the source substance, where gasphase vaporizable material is entrained into the air. As noted above,the entrained gas-phase vaporizable material may condense as it passesthrough the remainder of the airflow path such that an inhalable dose ofthe vaporizable material in an aerosol form can be delivered from theair outlet (e.g., in a mouthpiece for inhalation by a user).

Activation of the heating element may be caused by automatic detectionof the puff based on one or more of signals generated by one or moresensors 113, such as for example a pressure sensor or sensors disposedto detect pressure along the airflow path relative to ambient pressure(or optionally to measure changes in absolute pressure), one or moremotion sensors of the vaporizer, one or more flow sensors of thevaporizer, a capacitive lip sensor of the vaporizer; in response todetection of interaction of a user with one or more input devices 116(e.g., buttons or other tactile control devices of the vaporizer 100),receipt of signals from a computing device in communication with thevaporizer; and/or via other approaches for determining that a puff isoccurring or imminent.

As alluded to in the previous paragraph, a vaporizer consistent withimplementations of the current subject matter may be configured toconnect (e.g., wirelessly or via a wired connection) to a computingdevice (or optionally two or more devices) in communication with thevaporizer. To this end, the controller 104 may include communicationhardware 105. The controller 104 may also include a memory 108. Acomputing device can be a component of a vaporizer system that alsoincludes the vaporizer 100, and can include its own communicationhardware, which can establish a wireless communication channel with thecommunication hardware 105 of the vaporizer 100. For example, acomputing device used as part of a vaporizer system may include ageneral-purpose computing device (e.g., a smartphone, a tablet, apersonal computer, some other portable device such as a smartwatch, orthe like) that executes software to produce a user interface forenabling a user of the device to interact with a vaporizer. In otherimplementations of the current subject matter, such a device used aspart of a vaporizer system can be a dedicated piece of hardware such asa remote control or other wireless or wired device having one or morephysical or soft (e.g., configurable on a screen or other display deviceand selectable via user interaction with a touch-sensitive screen orsome other input device like a mouse, pointer, trackball, cursorbuttons, or the like) interface controls. The vaporizer can also includeone or more output 117 features or devices for providing information tothe user. For example, the output 117 can include one or more lightemitting diodes (LED) configured to provide feedback to a user based ona status and/or mode of operation of the vaporizer 100.

A computing device that is part of a vaporizer system as defined abovecan be used for any of one or more functions, such as controlling dosing(e.g., dose monitoring, dose setting, dose limiting, user tracking,etc.), controlling sessioning (e.g., session monitoring, sessionsetting, session limiting, user tracking, etc.), controlling nicotinedelivery (e.g., switching between nicotine and non-nicotine vaporizablematerial, adjusting an amount of nicotine delivered, etc.), obtaininglocational information (e.g., location of other users,retailer/commercial venue locations, vaping locations, relative orabsolute location of the vaporizer itself, etc.), vaporizerpersonalization (e.g., naming the vaporizer, locking/password protectingthe vaporizer, adjusting one or more parental controls, associating thevaporizer with a user group, registering the vaporizer with amanufacturer or warranty maintenance organization, etc.), engaging insocial activities (e.g., games, social media communications, interactingwith one or more groups, etc.) with other users, or the like. The terms“sessioning”, “session”, “vaporizer session,” or “vapor session,” areused generically to refer to a period devoted to the use of thevaporizer. The period can include a time period, a number of doses, anamount of vaporizable material, and/or the like.

In the example in which a computing device provides signals related toactivation of the resistive heating element, or in other examples ofcoupling of a computing device with a vaporizer for implementation ofvarious control or other functions, the computing device executes one ormore computer instructions sets to provide a user interface andunderlying data handling. In one example, detection by the computingdevice of user interaction with one or more user interface elements cancause the computing device to signal the vaporizer 100 to activate theheating element, either to a full operating temperature for creation ofan inhalable dose of vapor/aerosol. Other functions of the vaporizer maybe controlled by interaction of a user with a user interface on acomputing device in communication with the vaporizer.

The temperature of a resistive heating element of a vaporizer may dependon a number of factors, including an amount of electrical powerdelivered to the resistive heating element and/or a duty cycle at whichthe electrical power is delivered, conductive heat transfer to otherparts of the electronic vaporizer and/or to the environment, latent heatlosses due to vaporization of a vaporizable material from the atomizeras a whole, and convective heat losses due to airflow (e.g., air movingacross the heating element or the atomizer as a whole when a userinhales on the electronic vaporizer). As noted above, to reliablyactivate the heating element or heat the heating element to a desiredtemperature, a vaporizer may, in some implementations of the currentsubject matter, make use of signals from a pressure sensor to determinewhen a user is inhaling. The pressure sensor can be positioned in theairflow path and/or can be connected (e.g., by a passageway or otherpath) to an airflow path connecting an inlet for air to enter the deviceand an outlet via which the user inhales the resulting vapor and/oraerosol such that the pressure sensor experiences pressure changesconcurrently with air passing through the vaporizer device from the airinlet to the air outlet. In some implementations of the current subjectmatter, the heating element may be activated in association with auser's puff, for example by automatic detection of the puff, for exampleby the pressure sensor detecting a pressure change in the airflow path.

Typically, the pressure sensor (as well as any other sensors 113) can bepositioned on or coupled (e.g., electrically or electronicallyconnected, either physically or via a wireless connection) to thecontroller 104 (e.g., a printed circuit board assembly or other type ofcircuit board). To take measurements accurately and maintain durabilityof the vaporizer, it can be beneficial to provide a resilient seal 121to separate an airflow path from other parts of the vaporizer. The seal121, which can be a gasket, may be configured to at least partiallysurround the pressure sensor such that connections of the pressuresensor to internal circuitry of the vaporizer are separated from a partof the pressure sensor exposed to the airflow path. In an example of acartridge-based vaporizer, the seal 121 may also separate parts of oneor more electrical connections between a vaporizer body 110 and avaporizer cartridge 120. Such arrangements of a seal 121 in a vaporizer100 can be helpful in mitigating against potentially disruptive impactson vaporizer components resulting from interactions with environmentalfactors such as water in the vapor or liquid phases, other fluids suchas the vaporizable material, etc. and/or to reduce escape of air fromthe designed airflow path in the vaporizer. Unwanted air, liquid orother fluid passing and/or contacting circuitry of the vaporizer cancause various unwanted effects, such as alter pressure readings, and/orcan result in the buildup of unwanted material, such as moisture, thevaporizable material, etc. in parts of the vaporizer where they mayresult in poor pressure signal, degradation of the pressure sensor orother components, and/or a shorter life of the vaporizer. Leaks in theseal 121 can also result in a user inhaling air that has passed overparts of the vaporizer device containing or constructed of materialsthat may not be desirable to be inhaled.

A general class of vaporizers that have recently gained popularityincludes a vaporizer body 110 that includes a controller 104, a powersource 112 (e.g., battery), one more sensors 113, charging contacts, aseal 121, and a cartridge receptacle 118 configured to receive avaporizer cartridge 120 for coupling with the vaporizer body 110 throughone or more of a variety of attachment structures. In some examples,vaporizer cartridge 120 includes a mouthpiece for delivering aninhalable dose to a user. The vaporizer body 110 can include an atomizerhaving a heating element 150, or alternatively, the heating element 150can be part of the vaporizer cartridge 120.

As noted above, the current subject matter relates to cartridge-basedconfigurations for vaporizers that generate an inhalable dose of avaporizable material via heating of a source substance. For example, avaporizer cartridge 120 may include a mass of a source substance that isprocessed and formed to have direct contact with parts of one or moreresistive heating elements, and such a vaporizer cartridge 120 may beconfigured to be coupled mechanically and electrically to a vaporizerbody 110 that includes a processor, a power source 112, and electricalcontacts for connecting to corresponding cartridge contacts 124 forcompleting a circuit with the one or more resistive heating elements.

In vaporizers in which the power source 112 is part of a vaporizer body110 and a heating element 150 is disposed in a vaporizer cartridge 120configured to couple with the vaporizer body 110, the vaporizer 100 mayinclude electrical connection features (e.g., means for completing acircuit) for completing a circuit that includes the controller 104(e.g., a printed circuit board, a microcontroller, or the like), thepower source 112, and the heating element 150. These features mayinclude at least two contacts on one or more outer surfaces of thevaporizer cartridge 120 (referred to herein as cartridge contacts 124)and at least two contacts disposed on the vaporizer body 110, optionallyin a cartridge receptacle 118 (referred to herein as receptacle contacts125) of the vaporizer 100 such that the cartridge contacts 124 and thereceptacle contacts 125 make electrical connections when the vaporizercartridge 120 is inserted into and coupled with the cartridge receptacle118. Other configurations in which a vaporizer cartridge 120 is coupledto a vaporizer body 110 without being inserted into a cartridgereceptacle 118 are also within the scope of the current subject matter.It will be understood that the references herein to “receptaclecontacts” can more generally refer to contacts on a vaporizer body 110that are not contained within a cartridge receptacle 118 but arenonetheless configured to make electrical connections with the cartridgecontacts 124 of a vaporizer cartridge 120 when the vaporizer cartridge120 and the vaporizer body 110 are coupled. The circuit completed bythese electrical connections can allow delivery of electrical current tothe resistive heating element 150 and may further be used for additionalfunctions, such as for example for measuring a resistance of theresistive heating element 150 for use in determining and/or controllinga temperature of the resistive heating element 150 based on a thermalcoefficient of resistivity of the resistive heating element 150, foridentifying a cartridge based on one or more electrical characteristicsof a resistive heating element 150 or the other circuitry of thevaporizer cartridge 120, etc.

In some examples of the current subject matter, the at least twocartridge contacts 124 and the at least two receptacle contacts 125 canbe configured to electrically connect in either of at least twoorientations. In other words, one or more circuits necessary foroperation of the vaporizer can be completed by insertion of a vaporizercartridge 120 in the cartridge receptacle 118 in a first rotationalorientation (around an axis along which the end of the vaporizercartridge 120 having the cartridge is inserted into the cartridgereceptacle 118 of the vaporizer body 110) such that a first cartridgecontact of the at least two cartridge contacts 124 is electricallyconnected to a first receptacle contact of the at least two receptaclecontacts 125 and a second cartridge contact of the at least twocartridge contacts 124 is electrically connected to a second receptaclecontact of the at least two receptacle contacts 125. Furthermore, theone or more circuits necessary for operation of the vaporizer can becompleted by insertion of a vaporizer cartridge 120 in the cartridgereceptacle 118 in a second rotational orientation such that the firstcartridge contact of the at least two cartridge contacts 124 iselectrically connected to the second receptacle contact of the at leasttwo receptacle contacts 125 and the second cartridge contact of the atleast two cartridge contacts 124 is electrically connected to the firstreceptacle contact of the at least two receptacle contacts 125. Thisfeature of a vaporizer cartridge 120 being reversibly insertable into acartridge receptacle 118 of the vaporizer body 110 is described furtherbelow.

In one example of an attachment structure for coupling a vaporizercartridge 120 to a vaporizer body 110, the vaporizer body 110 includes adetent (e.g., a dimple, protrusion, etc.) protruding inwardly from aninner surface of the cartridge receptacle 118. One or more exteriorsurfaces of the vaporizer cartridge 120 can include correspondingrecesses (not shown in FIG. 1 ) that can fit and/or otherwise snap oversuch detents when an end of the vaporizer cartridge 120 is inserted intothe cartridge receptacle 118 of the vaporizer body 110. When thevaporizer cartridge 120 and the vaporizer body 110 are coupled (e.g., byinsertion of an end of the vaporizer cartridge 120 into the cartridgereceptacle 118 of the vaporizer body 110), the detent into the vaporizerbody 110 may fit within and/or otherwise be held within the recesses ofthe vaporizer cartridge 120 to hold the vaporizer cartridge 120 in placewhen assembled. Such a detent-recess assembly can provide enough supportto hold the vaporizer cartridge 120 in place to ensure good contactbetween the at least two cartridge contacts 124 and the at least tworeceptacle contacts 125, while allowing release of the vaporizercartridge 120 from the vaporizer body 110 when a user pulls withreasonable force on the vaporizer cartridge 120 to disengage thevaporizer cartridge 120 from the cartridge receptacle 118. It will beunderstood that other configurations for coupling of a vaporizercartridge 120 and a vaporizer body 110 are within the scope of thecurrent subject matter, for example as discussed in more detail below.

Further to the discussion above about the electrical connections betweena vaporizer cartridge 120 and a vaporizer body 110 being reversible suchthat at least two rotational orientations of the vaporizer cartridge 120in the vaporizer cartridge 120 receptacle are possible, in somevaporizer devices the shape of the vaporizer cartridge 120, or at leasta shape of the end of the vaporizer cartridge 120 that is configured forinsertion into the cartridge receptacle 118 may have rotational symmetryof at least order two. In other words, the vaporizer cartridge 120 or atleast the insertable end of the vaporizer cartridge 120 may be symmetricupon a rotation of 180° around an axis along which the vaporizercartridge 120 is inserted into the cartridge receptacle 118. In such aconfiguration, the circuitry of the vaporizer device may supportidentical operation regardless of which symmetrical orientation of thevaporizer cartridge 120 occurs.

In some examples, the vaporizer cartridge 120, or at least an end of thevaporizer cartridge 120 configured for insertion in the vaporizercartridge 120 receptacle may have a non-circular cross-sectiontransverse to the axis along which the vaporizer cartridge 120 isinserted into the cartridge receptacle 118. For example, thenon-circular cross-section may be approximately rectangular,approximately elliptical (e.g., have an approximately oval shape),non-rectangular but with two sets of parallel or approximately parallelopposing sides (e.g., having a parallelogram-like shape), or othershapes having rotational symmetry of at least order two. In thiscontext, approximately having a shape, indicates that a basic likenessto the described shape is apparent, but that sides of the shape inquestion need not be completely linear and vertices need not becompletely sharp. Rounding of both or either of edges or vertices of thecross-sectional shape is contemplated in the description of anynon-circular cross-section referred to herein.

The at least two cartridge contacts 124 and the at least two receptaclecontacts 125 can take various forms. For example, one or both sets ofcontacts may include conductive pins, tabs, posts, receiving holes forpins or posts, or the like. Some types of contacts may include springsor other urging features to cause better physical and electrical contactbetween the contacts on the vaporizer cartridge 120 and the vaporizerbody 110. The electrical contacts may optionally be gold-plated, and/orcan include other materials.

Various embodiments of a vaporizer cartridge 120 are described hereinthat are configured for containing and vaporizing one or more non-liquidsource substances, such as loose-leaf tobacco. Furthermore, suchembodiments of vaporizer cartridges may be single-use such that they arenot refillable after the vaporizable material has been used up. Suchsingle-use vaporizer cartridges may thus require inexpensive materialand manufacturing in order to be economically feasible. Furthermore,although it may be desirable to make and manufacture single-usevaporizer cartridges for vaporizing non-liquid source substances, it isalso desirable to efficiently and effectively vaporize the vaporizablematerial. For example, a user inhaling on a vaporizer device typicallyprefers inhaling aerosol created by the vaporizer device shortly afterengaging with the vaporizer device (e.g., placing lips on mouthpiece,pushing an activation button, etc.). As such, the embodiments of thevaporizer cartridges disclosed herein may beneficially achieve efficientvaporization of vaporizable material from a source substance to achievea desired user experience. Furthermore, embodiments of the vaporizercartridge 120 disclosed herein may advantageously provide sufficientheat energy to the source substance to cause release of the vaporizablematerial such as to create an aerosol form of the vaporizable materialfor inhalation, while also limiting heating sufficiently to at leastreduce creation of at least one harmful by-product that is not desiredfor a user to inhale. To achieve the above, various embodiments ofheating elements are disclosed and described in greater detail below.

For example, various embodiments of heating elements are describedherein that are configured to heat within a desired temperature range,such as at or below approximately 250 degrees Celsius. Such atemperature range may advantageously vaporize a source substance such asprocessed tobacco and allow nicotine and volatile flavor compounds to beaerosolized and delivered to a user puffing on the associatedvaporization device. Such a temperature within the temperature range mayalso prevent the creation of at least one harmful or potentially harmfulby-product. As such, at least one benefit of the heating assembliesdescribed herein include the improved quality of aerosol for inhalationby a user.

In addition, various embodiments of the heating elements describedherein may efficiently heat up to a temperature within the desiredtemperature range. This can allow the associated vaporizer device toachieve a desired user experience for the user inhaling on the vaporizerdevice. Such efficient heat-up time can result in efficient power usage,such as battery power from the vaporizer device. Furthermore, thevarious embodiments of the heating elements described herein can achievesuch benefits while not requiring an increase in vaporizer device size.In some embodiments, the heating element can allow for a more compactvaporizer device than what is currently available. In addition,embodiments of the heating element can be made and manufactured at acost that may allow the vaporizer cartridge to be single-use andeconomically feasible.

Embodiments of the heating elements described below can include at leastone thermally conductive material, such as carbon, carbon foam, metal,metal foil, aluminum foam, or a biodegradable polymer. The thermallyconductive material can allow energy provided by a vaporizer device tobe transmitted to the thermally conductive feature (e.g., via thecartridge and vaporizer device contacts) to thereby cause an increase intemperature along at least a part of the thermally conductive feature,such as for vaporizing the vaporizable material from the sourcesubstance. The vaporizer body 110 can include a controller 104 that cancontrol the amount of energy provided to the thermally conductivematerial, thereby assisting the heating element 150 with reaching atemperature that is within the desired temperature range.

In some embodiments, a vaporizer cartridge can include a housing 162configured to contain at least some of the vaporizable material 102and/or heating element 150.

FIGS. 2A-2B illustrate an embodiment of a vaporizer cartridge 220including an embodiment of a heating element 250 including a flexiblesheet with narrow electrically conductive traces 252 extendingtherealong. These narrow electrically conductive traces 252 formresistive heaters, which can be arranged in series or parallel. Thenarrow electrically conductive traces 252 can be made out of anelectrically conductive material, such as any of the electricallyconductive materials described herein. The heating element 250 caninclude at least one cartridge contact 224 that is in electricalcommunication with the narrow electrically conductive traces. Thecartridge contacts 224 can be positioned such that when the vaporizercartridge 220 is coupled to a vaporizer body, the cartridge contacts 224can mate with the receptacle contacts 125 (shown in FIG. 1 ) of thevaporizer body. This can allow energy from the vaporizer body to betransferred from the vaporizer body to the narrow electricallyconductive traces 224 (via the contact between the cartridge contacts224 and the receptacle contacts 125) thereby allowing the narrowelectrically conductive traces 252 to reach a temperature within thedesired temperature range.

In some embodiments, the flexible sheet can wrap around non-liquidsource substance 202, such as a plurality of sheets of tobacco, as shownin FIG. 2B. In such a configuration, the heating element 250 can bothdefine a chamber configured to contain the source substance 202, as wellas be contained within the chamber. This can increase the contactbetween the source substance 202 and the heating element 150, therebyallowing the heating element 150 to efficiently heat up and vaporize thevaporizable material from the source substance 202. Furthermore, athermal gradient across the source substance 202 can be minimal (e.g.,less than or equal to the width of a tobacco sheet) in such aconfiguration. This can allow the heating element 150 to heat to atemperature within the desired temperature range while also efficientlyvaporizing an acceptable fraction (ideally but not necessarily all orsubstantially all) of the vaporizable material contained within thesource substance 202 in the chamber.

FIGS. 2C and 2D illustrate embodiments of the narrow electricallyconductive traces 252 of the heating element 150. For example, as shownin FIGS. 2C and 2D, the narrow electrically conductive traces 252 caninclude a plurality of series heaters in parallel, such as six seriesheaters positioned in parallel. Additionally, as shown in FIG. 2C, eachseries heater can be laid out in a horizontal orientation and/or in avertical orientation, as shown in FIG. 2D. For example, the horizontalorientation can provide a series resistance of approximately 2.18 Ohm at25° C. and 4.09 Ohm at 250° C. and total heater resistance ofapproximately 0.363 Ohm at 25° C. and 0.682 Ohm at 250° C. In thevertical orientation, for example, the series resistance ofapproximately 2.14 Ohm at 25° C. and 4.02 Ohm at 250° C. and totalheater resistance of approximately 0.357 Ohm at 25° C. and 0.670 Ohm at250° C. Other configurations of the narrow electrically conductivetraces are within the scope of this disclosure. FIG. 2C illustrates theheating element 150 of FIG. 2A with the narrow electrically conductivetraces 252 forming six series heaters in parallel, and with each seriesheater portion in a horizontal orientation

FIGS. 3A-3B illustrates another embodiment of a vaporizer cartridge 320including another embodiment of a heating element 350 (shown in FIG. 3B)that allows the vaporizer cartridge 320 to include at least some of thebenefits described herein, including cost effective manufacturing, fastheat-up time, vaporization temperatures within the desired temperaturerange, etc.

As shown in FIG. 3B, the heating element 350 includes an electricallyresistive area 354 made out of an electrically conductive material, suchas an electrically conductive foil material treated to increase itselectrical resistance in a desired part of the electrically conductivefoil (e.g., by perforating, varying a thickness or other dimension of aconducive cross-section, etc.). In some embodiments, a first part of theelectrically resistive area 354 can include a non-conductive materialbacking 356 (e.g., paper material) and a second part of the electricallyresistive area 354 can include the electrically resistive material 358without the non-conductive material backing 356. In addition, and asnoted above, the second part can include a plurality of perforations360, which can create an electrical resistance along an otherwise moreelectrically conductive material of the second part. The perforations360 can have any number of a variety of shapes and sizes and be arrangedin one or more of a variety of configurations. Furthermore, theelectrically resistive second part can be an electrically conductivematerial that includes more than one area having different densities ofperforations 360 or other physical modifications, thereby creatingdifferent areas of electrical resistance. Such different areas ofelectrical resistance can affect the temperature reached when theelectrically resistive part is caused to be heated (e.g., an electricalcurrent is allowed to travel along). As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, a partof the heating element 350 can include only a non-electricallyconductive material, such as a part of the heating element 350 that mayallow contact with a user and therefore may benefit from not becomingheated. Other configurations are also within the scope of thisdisclosure, such as heating elements having one or more areas includingelectrically conductive material without perforations, such as forforming a cartridge contact that may mate with a vaporizer contact forallowing current to be transferred from the vaporizer device to theheating element for heating the heating element.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the heating element 350 can be wrapped around asource substance 302, such as a non-liquid source substance (e.g., oneor more sheets of tobacco). In such a configuration, the heating element350 can both define a chamber configured to contain the source substance302, as well as be contained within the cartridge chamber. This canincrease the contact between the source substance 302 and the heatingelement 350, thereby allowing the heating element 350 to efficientlyheat up and vaporize vaporizable material from the source substance 302.Furthermore, a thermal gradient across the source substance 302 can bereduced (e.g., less than or equal to the width of a tobacco sheet) insuch a configuration. This can allow the heating element 350 to heat toa temperature within the desired temperature range while alsoefficiently vaporizing an acceptable fraction (ideally but notnecessarily all or substantially all) of the vaporizable materialcontained within the source material in the chamber.

FIGS. 4A-4E illustrate another embodiment of a vaporizer cartridge 420including another embodiment of a heating element 450 (shown, forexample, in FIG. 4B) that allows the vaporizer cartridge 420 to includeat least some of the benefits described herein, including cost effectivemanufacturing, fast heat-up time, vaporization temperatures within thedesired temperature range, etc.

As shown in FIG. 4A, the vaporizer cartridge 420 can include a housing462 having an opening 464 for receiving the heating element 450 andsource substance 402. The housing 462 can include a non-electricallyconductive material and the heating element 450 can include a sheet 448made out of thermally conductive material. As shown in FIG. 4B, thesheet 448 can include a plurality of perforations 460 that can affectthe resistance along the sheet 448. In addition, the sheet can includeat least one side extension forming cartridge contacts 424 that can matewith and extend through a through hole 428 along the housing 462. Such aside extension forming cartridge contacts 424 can be positioned to matewith a receptacle contact along a corresponding vaporizer body therebyallowing current to flow from the vaporizer body to the heating element450 in turn allowing the heating element 450 to heat to a temperaturewithin the desired temperature range.

As shown in FIG. 4C, the heating element 450 may include at least oneflat surface in which the source substance 402 can mate directlyagainst, thereby providing efficient heat transfer between the heatingelement 450 and the source substance 402 (e.g., one or more sheets oftobacco). Furthermore, a thermal gradient across the source substance402 can be minimal (e.g., less than or equal to the width of a tobaccosheet) in such a configuration. This can allow the heating element 450to heat to a temperature within the desired temperature range while alsoefficiently vaporizing all or substantially all of the vaporizablematerial contained within the source substance 402 within the chamber.Other variations and/or features of the heating element 450 can beincluded, such as folding the heating element 450 in half with cartridgecontacts 424 extending from a distal end (as shown in FIG. 4E), and/orinclude an etched electrically conductive sheet 406 that is effectivelylong and thin for resulting in electrical resistance sufficient toachieve fast and effective heating of the heating element 450 to withinthe desired heating range (as shown, for example, in FIG. 4D).

In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 4F and 4G, one or more extensions468 can extend from a top and/or bottom surface of the thermallyconductive sheet 448. Such extensions 468 can be formed when forming theperforations 460 (e.g., via stamping the conductive sheet). Theextensions 468 can provide additional surface area that may be moreintegrated with the source substance 402, such as compared to a flatheating element that does not include such extensions. As shown in FIG.4H, some embodiments of the housing 462 can include a clamshellconfiguration such that the heating element 450 (e.g., any of theheating element embodiments shown in FIGS. 4A-4G) can be captured in thehousing 462 along with at least two tobacco sheets positioned onopposing sides of the heating element 450. This can provide a compactconfiguration with efficient assembly.

FIGS. 5A-5B illustrates another embodiment of a vaporizer cartridge 520including another embodiment of a heating element 550 having aninduction coil and ferrous material 570. For example, the induction coilcan be wrapped around the source substance, such as directly around asheet of source substance. In addition, the ferrous material 570 may bemixed with the source substance and may be heated as a result ofinteraction of the ferrous material with electrical and/or magneticfields created by current passing through the inductive coil. Theferrous material inter-mixed with the source substance can allow a moreeven distribution of heat along and/or within the source substance,thereby reducing a thermal gradient along the source substance. This canallow heating of the source substance under interaction of the fieldsgenerated by the induction coil to a temperature within the desiredtemperature range and thereby effectively vaporize vaporizable materialfrom the source substance.

FIG. 6 illustrates a side cross-section view of another embodiment of avaporizer cartridge 620 including another embodiment of a heatingelement 650 having a thermally conductive (but electrically resistive)foam structure 672. For example, the source substance may be placed intothe conductive foam structure 672 (e.g., within pores of an open-cellthermally conductive foam structure). Current can be run through thethermally conductive foam structure 672 to thereby evenly heat thesource substance as a result of resistive heating of the thermallyconductive foam structure 672, such as at a temperature within thedesired temperature range. In some embodiments, the thermally conductivefoam structure 672 can be made out of a reticulated carbon foam, analuminum foam, etc. Other foam structures are within the scope of thisdisclosure.

FIG. 7 illustrates another embodiment of a vaporizer cartridge 720including another embodiment of a heating element 750 having conductiveplates 774 separated by a non-conductive insulating material 776. Theconductive plates 774 and insulating material 776 can define a chamberconfigured to contain source substance 702. The heating element 750 canfurther include an at least partially electrically conductive mixture778 that can be included in the source substance 702, thereby creating abulk resistor out of the source substance 702. The conductive plates 774may function to conduct electricity and act as cartridge contacts thatmate with receptacle contacts of the vaporizer body to which thevaporizer cartridge 720 is coupled.

Any of the heating elements described herein can include a contact(e.g., a cartridge contact) or can be in electrical communication with acontact for allowing electrical energy to be transmitted from avaporizer body to which the vaporizer cartridge is coupled thereto andthereby allow the heating element to increase in temperature.

To vaporize vaporizable material from the source substance withouthaving to heat above the desired temperature range, a reverse flow heatexchanger may be implemented into a vaporizer cartridge or vaporizerdevice. For example, a vaporizer cartridge including a reverse flow heatexchanger is described in greater detail below.

FIGS. 8A-8B illustrate another embodiment of a vaporizer cartridge 820including another embodiment of a heating element 850. As shown in FIG.8A, a thermally conductive material can encircle an outer circumferenceof an outer source substance passageway 880. The outer source substancepassageway 880 can include a doughnut-shaped profile where the innerthrough-hole defines an inner source substance passageway 882. As shownin FIG. 8B, the inner source substance passageway 882 may be open at adistal end 884 and the outer source substance passageway 880 may includean opening at a distal end 884. The inner and outer source substancepassageways may be at least partly filled with source substance. Anairflow pathway 886 can extend between the opening to the outer sourcesubstance passageway 880, along at least a part of the source substancepassageway, through a proximal end 888 of the inner source substancepassageway 882, along the inner source substance passageway 882 and outthe distal opening of the source substance passageway, as shown in FIG.8B. This can allow airflow (e.g., as a result of a user inhaling on thevaporizer device) to flow along the outer source substance passageway880, thereby becoming heated by thermally conductive material encirclingthe outer circumference of the source substance passageway. As such,when the heated airflow then flows along the inner source substancepassageway 882, the heated airflow can increase the temperature of thesource substance positioned along the inner source substance passageway882. This can assist with increasing the speed at which the sourcesubstance contained in the inner source substance passageway heats tothe desired temperature (e.g., within the desired temperature range) andreducing the temperature gradient throughout the source substance.

At least some of the advantages of this concept may include a reductionin peak temperatures along the source substance that are greater thanthe desired temperature range. As such, this may result in at least areduction in unwanted bi-products being created while vaporizingvaporizable material from the source substance. Additionally, sincethere is no direct contact between the source substance and thevaporizer device, minimal maintenance (e.g., cleaning, etc.) of thevaporizer device may be required.

Although the heating element and airflow passageway is described hereinas being included in a vaporizer cartridge, any one or more parts of theheating element and airflow passageway described herein can be includedin the vaporizer device, thereby configured to be reusable and durable.

Terminology

When a feature or element is herein referred to as being “on” anotherfeature or element, it can be directly on the other feature or elementor intervening features and/or elements may also be present. Incontrast, when a feature or element is referred to as being “directlyon” another feature or element, there are no intervening features orelements present. It will also be understood that, when a feature orelement is referred to as being “connected”, “attached” or “coupled” toanother feature or element, it can be directly connected, attached orcoupled to the other feature or element or intervening features orelements may be present. In contrast, when a feature or element isreferred to as being “directly connected”, “directly attached” or“directly coupled” to another feature or element, there are nointervening features or elements present.

Although described or shown with respect to one embodiment, the featuresand elements so described or shown can apply to other embodiments. Itwill also be appreciated by those of skill in the art that references toa structure or feature that is disposed “adjacent” another feature mayhave portions that overlap or underlie the adjacent feature.

Terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments and implementations only and is not intended to be limiting.For example, as used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” areintended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearlyindicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms“comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification,specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements,and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of oneor more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/orgroups thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and allcombinations of one or more of the associated listed items and may beabbreviated as “/”.

In the descriptions above and in the claims, phrases such as “at leastone of” or “one or more of” may occur followed by a conjunctive list ofelements or features. The term “and/or” may also occur in a list of twoor more elements or features. Unless otherwise implicitly or explicitlycontradicted by the context in which it used, such a phrase is intendedto mean any of the listed elements or features individually or any ofthe recited elements or features in combination with any of the otherrecited elements or features. For example, the phrases “at least one ofA and B;” “one or more of A and B;” and “A and/or B” are each intendedto mean “A alone, B alone, or A and B together.” A similarinterpretation is also intended for lists including three or more items.For example, the phrases “at least one of A, B, and C;” “one or more ofA, B, and C;” and “A, B, and/or C” are each intended to mean “A alone, Balone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, orA and B and C together.” Use of the term “based on,” above and in theclaims is intended to mean, “based at least in part on,” such that anunrecited feature or element is also permissible.

Spatially relative terms, such as “forward”, “rearward”, “under”,“below”, “lower”, “over”, “upper” and the like, may be used herein forease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship toanother element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It willbe understood that the spatially relative terms are intended toencompass different orientations of the device in use or operation inaddition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if adevice in the figures is inverted, elements described as “under” or“beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “over” theother elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term “under” canencompass both an orientation of over and under. The device may beotherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and thespatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.Similarly, the terms “upwardly”, “downwardly”, “vertical”, “horizontal”and the like are used herein for the purpose of explanation only unlessspecifically indicated otherwise.

Although the terms “first” and “second” may be used herein to describevarious features/elements (including steps), these features/elementsshould not be limited by these terms, unless the context indicatesotherwise. These terms may be used to distinguish one feature/elementfrom another feature/element. Thus, a first feature/element discussedbelow could be termed a second feature/element, and similarly, a secondfeature/element discussed below could be termed a first feature/elementwithout departing from the teachings provided herein.

As used herein in the specification and claims, including as used in theexamples and unless otherwise expressly specified, all numbers may beread as if prefaced by the word “about” or “approximately,” even if theterm does not expressly appear. The phrase “about” or “approximately”may be used when describing magnitude and/or position to indicate thatthe value and/or position described is within a reasonable expectedrange of values and/or positions. For example, a numeric value may havea value that is +/−0.1% of the stated value (or range of values), +/−1%of the stated value (or range of values), +/−2% of the stated value (orrange of values), +/−5% of the stated value (or range of values), +/−10%of the stated value (or range of values), etc. Any numerical valuesgiven herein should also be understood to include about or approximatelythat value, unless the context indicates otherwise. For example, if thevalue “10” is disclosed, then “about 10” is also disclosed. Anynumerical range recited herein is intended to include all sub-rangessubsumed therein. It is also understood that when a value is disclosedthat “less than or equal to” the value, “greater than or equal to thevalue” and possible ranges between values are also disclosed, asappropriately understood by the skilled artisan. For example, if thevalue “X” is disclosed the “less than or equal to X” as well as “greaterthan or equal to X” (e.g., where X is a numerical value) is alsodisclosed. It is also understood that the throughout the application,data is provided in a number of different formats, and that this data,represents endpoints and starting points, and ranges for any combinationof the data points. For example, if a particular data point “10” and aparticular data point “15” are disclosed, it is understood that greaterthan, greater than or equal to, less than, less than or equal to, andequal to 10 and 15 are considered disclosed as well as between 10 and15. It is also understood that each unit between two particular unitsare also disclosed. For example, if 10 and 15 are disclosed, then 11,12, 13, and 14 are also disclosed.

Although various illustrative embodiments are described above, any of anumber of changes may be made to various embodiments without departingfrom the teachings herein. For example, the order in which variousdescribed method steps are performed may often be changed in alternativeembodiments, and in other alternative embodiments, one or more methodsteps may be skipped altogether. Optional features of various device andsystem embodiments may be included in some embodiments and not inothers. Therefore, the foregoing description is provided primarily forexemplary purposes and should not be interpreted to limit the scope ofthe claims.

One or more aspects or features of the subject matter described hereincan be realized in digital electronic circuitry, integrated circuitry,specially designed application specific integrated circuits (ASICs),field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) computer hardware, firmware,software, and/or combinations thereof. These various aspects or featurescan include implementation in one or more computer programs that areexecutable and/or interpretable on a programmable system including atleast one programmable processor, which can be special or generalpurpose, coupled to receive data and instructions from, and to transmitdata and instructions to, a storage system, at least one input device,and at least one output device. The programmable system or computingsystem may include clients and servers. A client and server aregenerally remote from each other and typically interact through acommunication network. The relationship of client and server arises byvirtue of computer programs running on the respective computers andhaving a client-server relationship to each other.

These computer programs, which can also be referred to programs,software, software applications, applications, components, or code,include machine instructions for a programmable processor, and can beimplemented in a high-level procedural language, an object-orientedprogramming language, a functional programming language, a logicalprogramming language, and/or in assembly/machine language. As usedherein, the term “machine-readable medium” refers to any computerprogram product, apparatus and/or device, such as for example magneticdiscs, optical disks, memory, and Programmable Logic Devices (PLDs),used to provide machine instructions and/or data to a programmableprocessor, including a machine-readable medium that receives machineinstructions as a machine-readable signal. The term “machine-readablesignal” refers to any signal used to provide machine instructions and/ordata to a programmable processor. The machine-readable medium can storesuch machine instructions non-transitorily, such as for example as woulda non-transient solid-state memory or a magnetic hard drive or anyequivalent storage medium. The machine-readable medium can alternativelyor additionally store such machine instructions in a transient manner,such as for example, as would a processor cache or other random accessmemory associated with one or more physical processor cores.

The examples and illustrations included herein show, by way ofillustration and not of limitation, specific embodiments in which thesubject matter may be practiced. As mentioned, other embodiments may beutilized and derived there from, such that structural and logicalsubstitutions and changes may be made without departing from the scopeof this disclosure. Such embodiments of the inventive subject matter maybe referred to herein individually or collectively by the term“invention” merely for convenience and without intending to voluntarilylimit the scope of this application to any single invention or inventiveconcept, if more than one is, in fact, disclosed. Thus, althoughspecific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, anyarrangement calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substitutedfor the specific embodiments shown. This disclosure is intended to coverany and all adaptations or variations of various embodiments.Combinations of the above embodiments, and other embodiments notspecifically described herein, will be apparent to those of skill in theart upon reviewing the above description.

1.-37. (canceled)
 38. A vaporizer comprising: a chamber containing asource substance; a metal material in contact with the source substance;and an induction coil positioned around the source substance, whereinthe induction coil is configured to generate magnetic fields whileelectric current is passing therethrough, and wherein the interaction ofthe metal material with the magnetic fields generates heat to vaporizeat least a portion of the source substance.
 39. The vaporizer of claim38, wherein the metal material is a ferrous material.
 40. The vaporizerof claim 38, wherein the source substance is a non-liquid vaporizablematerial.
 41. The vaporizer of claim 40, wherein the non-liquidvaporizable material comprises loose-leaf tobacco.
 42. The vaporizer ofclaim 38, wherein the metal material is intermixed with the source substance.
 43. The vaporizer of claim 38, wherein the induction coil iswrapped about an outer perimeter of the chamber.
 44. The vaporizer ofclaim 38, wherein the chamber has a non-circular shape.
 45. Thevaporizer of claim 38, further comprising a cartridge having the chamberdefined therein.
 46. The vaporizer of claim 45, wherein the metalmaterial is intermixed with the source sub stance.
 47. The vaporizer ofclaim 45, wherein the cartridge has a non-circular shape.
 48. Avaporizer comprising: a chamber containing a non-liquid vaporizablematerial; and a heating element comprising an induction coil and aferrous material, wherein the induction coil is positioned around thenon-liquid vaporizable material and the ferrous material is intermixedwith the non-liquid vaporizable material, wherein the heating element isconfigured to generate heat to vaporize the source substance through theinteraction of the metal material with magnetic fields created byelectrical current passing through the inductive coil.
 49. The vaporizerof claim 48, wherein the non-liquid vaporizable material comprisesloose-leaf tobacco.
 50. The vaporizer of claim 48, wherein the inductioncoil is wrapped about an outer perimeter of the chamber.
 51. Thevaporizer of claim 48, wherein the chamber has a non-circular shape.